The Big Disconnect : Protecting Childhood And Family Relationships

No matter what background you come from or how you were raised, family is extremely important. According to Malinowski, “Family is a necessary institution for fulfilling the task of child rearing in society”(Conley, 2013). Society has come a long way when it comes to family and it is much different than it was in the 1950’s. Not all families are nuclear families. A nuclear family is having a mother, father, and children that are all biological (Conley, 2013). This kind of family is what some would call more “traditional.” Today in the twenty first century it is getting harder and harder to find families that have actually stayed together. There are so many different kinds of families in today’s society, and more and more families are becoming blended families. A blended family is when two families come together (Conley, 2013). Many families today have single mons, single, dads, and even same sex parents. Family is not always the people that live in the same house as you, family also consists of extended family. An extended family is a network that goes beyond the main “nuclear” family (Conley,

Throughout human history individuals around the world, of various ethnic, racial, cultural backgrounds have linked together to form what people call today families. A lot of questions come to mind when contemplating the complex relationship people have. Since families have a direct bearing on society now and on future generations it is essential to take seriously what is happening to the family. Is the American family in decline, and if so what should be done about it? “Traditionally, family has been defined as a unit made up of two or more people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption: live together; form an economic unit, and bear and raise children (Benokraitis, 3).” The definition of decline is to “fail in strength, vigor, character, value, deteriorate, slant downward.” The traditional nuclear family consists of a father provider, mother-homemaker, and at least one child (Brym and Lie, 252).” The nuclear family is a distinct and universal family form because it performs five important functions in society:sexual regulation, economic cooperation, reproduction, socialization, and emotional support. Research from the 1950 's to the present will emphasize what trends are taking place among American families. Family trends might not have expected???

When we are addicted to technology, we will cause separation in our relationships with our loved ones. In “The Veldt”, the children

In the article, “The Digital Parent Trap” Eliana Dockterman discusses the benefits of young children using technology. Dockterman’s view on technology is the future of learning for young children everywhere, as more things in school are being done on computers than paper. In the article, Dockterman attempts to persuade parents to embrace young kids using technology by using logos, ethos, and meaningful insights.

    The essay “Stone Soup” highlights many topics related to the common “issue” of families who are binuclear. Throughout the years, divorce has become a recurring event in couple’s marriages. In the essay, Kingslover writes, “.. a culture in which serial monogamy and the consequent reshaping is families are the norm— gets diagnosed as ‘failing’.” By saying this, the author basically expresses her disapproval of our society's views of “broken” families.  People too often judge what they see on the outside, and do not pay enough attention to what truly occurs in the lives of these families. Being a complete family—a father, mother, and children— is what defines normalcy to society, but how often does this work? The author of “Stone Soup” wrote, “To judge a family’s value by its tidy symmetry is to purchase a book for its cover.” To rephrase it simply, just as it is unfair to judge a book by its cover, it is evenly unfair to determine a family's successfulness by simply looking at how together or not together they present themselves. The idea of the nuclear family is not necessarily the ultimate way to achieve happiness, and throughout “Stone Soup,” the author intends on explaining that to us. A family containing step siblings, step parents, half-brothers and half-sisters, and multiple grandparents, could possibly be the happiest family, or maybe even the unhappiest, but it is not us who determines that. Nor is it the standard society has set for

This essay is on how much the family has changed since the 1960s. This essay will contain the definitions and variations of the family and how they have changed. There will also be details of the differences of theoretical perspectives.

Falicov, C.J., & Brudner-White, L. (1983). The shifting family triangle: The issue of cultural and

A brief view of the 4 decades within the periods of 1950 to 1990 would show us a significant shift from the conventional nuclear family to the non-conventional modern family. Starting from the 1950s, the families were nuclear, where members worked together, understood their roles, and did what was expected of them; by the 1960s, there were a few sitcoms that began to undermine the television parent’s authority by privileging the independence of nearly adult or adult children; by the 1970s, the authoritative father began to disappear as they were no longer

This paper will discuss the differences between families from the 1960’s and the families of today. There are many differences between the different times. I have focused on the parentage portion of the families. I explained what the ideal family is and how it is different today. I’ve also included ways that will help these families of today become stronger as a family.

Raising a family can be a lot pressure, especially in a Facebook-obsessed, Pinterest-Perfect, snapchat-happy world. Quality family time has changed from family games nights to kids texting, mom is on Pinterest, and dad is on snap chat; everyday home life of the family quickly transforming. Parents and children have a growing stream of technological resources at their fingertips, offering more opportunities for engagement, entertainment and education. With so many tech distractions available, it is more important than ever for parents and children to put down their phone, games, and tables and create sustainable relationships with each other. Families embracing the digital age can be problematic and is forever changing the family dynamic. It is a losing battle for parent to

Instead of finding means of connecting with their children, some parents are joining social media sites, talking more on the phone, checking emails or watching their favorite reality shows. They are becoming more dependent on technology and that creates a division between a parent and a child. So what does this mean? Well, it means that parents may be taking their children to parks but are not joining them to play. It means that parents are rushing their conversations with their children, it means that parents may be passively encouraging their children to stay indoors on their laptops and I pads instead of exploring nature. It may also indicate to children that their parents don’t think they are important because they do not have their

The current generation of children is completely different than the preceding ones. They are living in the digital age. “Technology has blended in with daily activity to become a way of life and children today take for granted all of which is automated. It is hard for kids nowadays to imagine a world that existed without all of the gadgets, electronics and seamless operations that computer technology provides.” (3) “Children in the United States devote some 40 hours a week to television, video games and the Internet.” (12) Many psychologists and researchers are concerned about the impact that technology has on children. Children, tomorrow’s future parents and leaders, are being consumed by the negative effects that technology had on their

Today’s technology has greatly impacted the young children’s everyday lives. Phones, tablets, and computers are all a form of technology that impact the way kids are influenced. Some children get phones or computers at young ages and it can cause kids to depend on it to entertain them. Eventually they will allow the technology to take over and have it become the form of communication between friend and family instead of face to face. As parents continue to buy their children new technology they don’t monitor the amount of time their children spend on the Internet. Technology is becoming more advanced overtime which causes children to become more attached and unable to function without it near by.

On the negative side, children are spending more time indoors playing computer games or the equivalent, but they are not developing interpersonal relationships. As the internet is becoming less of a modern convenience and more of a necessity for humans, young and old, it should be noted that the internet can cause impaired academic achievement, bad time management, and problems with health and interpersonal relationships (Lai & Gwung, 2013). In another study, Laverick (2009) states the children of the 21st century have lives that are interwoven with technology. These children do not know of a world without technology; in the study, this is called “an Eculture” (Laverick, 2009).

Families recognise that each person is an autonomous individual and adult children need to be encourage to pursue independent lives. Grandchildren are added and extended family grows, with on-going contact that does not interfere with the new nuclear family, which now work towards developing own boundary. Parents have to realise that adult children no longer need their guidance and economic assistance